


Tell That to the Ashes

by TheArcReactor (LazarusII)



Series: Marvel One-Shots [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bitterness, Canonical Character Death, Death, Emotional Hurt, Hurt Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-06 01:19:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14631066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazarusII/pseuds/TheArcReactor
Summary: "We're in the endgame now"Ending of infinity war from Tony's POV.





	Tell That to the Ashes

**Author's Note:**

> Just watched Infinity war and I am SHOOK right now. My friends spoiled it for me, but it honestly didn't really matter because everything was just so... so -how do I put this- _amazing_? I don't know, but either way that movie messed with my emotions so badly. And the music... like wow! Ha! This 'note' section makes it obvious that I literally just got out of the movie theatre :P 
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy :)

 

The blade had run him through, entering just below the left side of his ribcage. Numb, Tony looked down at the blood trailing down his suit, watching it drip slowly to the sand. It was a curious thing, pain was, and now it was nearly consuming him, blinding his thoughts and slowing his movement. 

_Nanites, yes maybe that'll work..._

His vision tunneled as he brought his hand shakily upwards. Inch by inch, he approached the wound. 

_Nanites._

It looked like water, clear and fluid in nature, yet made up of thousands and thousands of small robots. His skin burned upon contact and he groaned aloud. He had expected some sort of reaction. Shaking even worse, his hand fell to his side, limp with exhaustion. He leaned back against the dark metal behind him and sighed, closing his eyes. It was cold, borderline freezing, and yet he was too tired to move in any sort of way. 

_Nanites were not meant for repairing skin... hopefully it works..._

 

It was a few minutes before he opened his eyes again. 

 

Peter extended his hand towards him. Covered in dust and sporting an array of cuts and bruises, the kid looked as though he'd been through hell and back. Worry was painted on his face like a mask. At that, Tony had to crack a slight smile. What a kid, they were millions of miles from home and had just fought the most powerful being in existence... and Peter was worried about  _him_ : an egotistical, technological genius billionaire. It was amazing that anyone still cared... speaking of which... 

_Stephen Strange._

_The Infinity Stone._

Taking the hand, Tony let himself be hauled to his feet. The pain that had been fading over time, redoubled, causing a groan to escape his lips. His knees, though still contained by the heavy suit, buckled forwards. Instantly, strong arms caught him, holding him up. 

"I got you!" Came Peter's voice, muffled by their strange embrace. 

Regaining his balance, Tony let go of the boy and tapped his chest piece. The _Bleeding Edge_ suit dissolve back into its triangular formation around the arc reactor. Freed of the heavy burden, his legs began to work once more. It seemed the nanites were doing some good after all, seeing that he should have been dead after being stabbed like that. 

 

It was when the antenna girl -Mantis- gasped and exploded into dust, that it became clear that something had gone horribly wrong. Next went Drax, whispering in horror as his tattooed skin slowly flaked apart into emptiness, carried away by the breeze. A few seconds later, Star-Lord, pain written across his face, also vanished. It was quick and sudden, shocking and terrible to watch. Death had always been associated with the physical means, for Tony. Guns, poison, weapons, and other things. Watching his team members just disappearing... that was on a different level. 

Thanos had said associated the word, "random," with his plan to destroy half of the population of the world. That meant that no one was safe... anyone could be next. 

 _I could be next,_ Tony thought, looking down at his hands. He half expected to see them flake away to dust, like the others. 

_But then I'd never see Pepper-_

 

_Pepper!_

 

Tony stood there, horror filling him. Was Pepper even alive? Was she turned to dust? 

_"This is the endgame now."_

Whipping around, Tony fixed his gaze upon Strange, relieved to find him still seated on the rock. Winded and panting, the wizard looked as though he shouldered the weight of the world. Words began to form on Tony's lips, but the other man shook his head.

"There was no other way."

_No! Not him too!_

Tony started forwards, stopping short as the man closed his eyes, dissolving into the air. 

 

"Mr. Stark... I don't  feel so good..."  

His stomach dropped. 

_No, no not the kid. No._

_Fate couldn't be that cruel._

 

_No._

Staggering forwards, Peter nearly fell. Pleading and nearly sobbing, the boy ran forwards and clung to Tony with a vice-like grip. Tony held him even as the boy fell down. Unable to support the extra weight, he toppled forwards, trying to cushion the back of Peter's head as they went down. 

"I don't want to go! No!" The boy was saying. Tony could only choke a few incomprehensible sounds in return, feeling as though as his throat was constricting. 

 

_Please no._

_Take me instead, just not-_

 

"I'm sorry," Peter whispered, his face going a sickly pale. 

"No!" Tony whispered, his voice thick in his throat. 

Then the kid was gone, dissolved into nothing. 

 

Silence filled the air as Tony rolled over into a sitting position, face in his hands. 

He thought of the boy, naive and selfless, so young... It was too soon. 

 

Hands shaking he looked back up at the ruined planet around him. Nebula, or whatever Star-Lord had called her, approached him, laying a hand on his shoulder. Somehow, it brought comfort, but there would be no repairing the hole in his heart. 

If Thanos got the soul stone, that means that Vision is gone, and probably Wanda too... He was no fool, he'd seen the way the pair looked at each other. 

More and more names came to his mind, more people condemned to death by the choice that Stephen had made. Whether Thanos would have eventually gotten the stone eventually was a whole train of "if"s or "could"s, but the fact that it had just been handed over...

"The endgame..." Tony whispered to himself, ignoring Nebula's head turning at the words.

"Tell that to the ashes, Strange." 

 

_Tell me that it was worth all of those lives..._

 

**Author's Note:**

> Gah, I forgot some of the lines and details so I apologize!
> 
> Let me know what you guys thought! As always, comments, kudos, and constructive criticism are always appreciated <3


End file.
